Shootings Indonesia

Australian peacekeepers repelled an ambush Wednesday, killing two anti-independence militiamen in the first clash since arriving more than two weeks ago. The violence came on the same day that Roman Catholic Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo received a joyful welcome home.

A day after a visit by Indonesia's president aimed at easing tensions between rebels and the military, nine people were killed Wednesday in a rash of shootings in troubled Aceh province. A separatist leader warned of civil war if a fragile six-month cease-fire that expires next month is not renewed. "There will be war. It will get much worse," separatist Zaini Abdullah said by telephone from Stockholm, where he and other rebel leaders are living in exile.

Hundreds of gun-toting militiamen staged a show of force Friday in a West Timor village, where U.N. officials fear that the militants killed 20 people despite Indonesia's promises to impose control in the territory. Reports of new slayings came as Indonesia's president tried to reassure world leaders at the United Nations about the situation in West Timor, where U.N. workers said militiamen were terrorizing the populace and refugees. U.N.

Hundreds of gun-toting militiamen staged a show of force Friday in a West Timor village, where U.N. officials fear that the militants killed 20 people despite Indonesia's promises to impose control in the territory. Reports of new slayings came as Indonesia's president tried to reassure world leaders at the United Nations about the situation in West Timor, where U.N. workers said militiamen were terrorizing the populace and refugees. U.N.

A day after a visit by Indonesia's president aimed at easing tensions between rebels and the military, nine people were killed Wednesday in a rash of shootings in troubled Aceh province. A separatist leader warned of civil war if a fragile six-month cease-fire that expires next month is not renewed. "There will be war. It will get much worse," separatist Zaini Abdullah said by telephone from Stockholm, where he and other rebel leaders are living in exile.

Indonesia's parliament endorsed the military's policy of shooting rioters on sight, amid fresh bloodshed at both ends of the vast archipelago. At least 20 people died over the weekend in renewed Christian-Muslim violence in the eastern region once known as the Spice Islands and two more in the restive western province of Aceh, officials said. The parliament endorsed armed forces commander Gen. Wiranto's orders to his troops to shoot rioters or troublemakers on sight. Wiranto's deputy, Maj. Gen.

Indonesian soldiers opened fire Tuesday on a funeral procession of youths protesting Indonesia's rule over East Timor, and a U.S. journalist, severely beaten by the troops, said it appeared that dozens of people were killed. Portugal condemned what it called "this new act of extreme brutality" in the former Portuguese colony, where the Fretilin armed independence movement has been operating since the territory was annexed by Indonesia in 1976.

A shooting at a Feb. 3 independence rally in the troubled Indonesian province of Aceh left at least 11 people dead and 24 others missing, a local human rights group reported. The military had earlier said seven civilians were killed in the clash in the East Aceh town of Idi Cut. Villagers said that those killed were shot by security forces. The violence broke out during a rally to support the Free Aceh Movement, a rebel group.

Australian peacekeepers repelled an ambush Wednesday, killing two anti-independence militiamen in the first clash since arriving more than two weeks ago. The violence came on the same day that Roman Catholic Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo received a joyful welcome home.

A shooting at a Feb. 3 independence rally in the troubled Indonesian province of Aceh left at least 11 people dead and 24 others missing, a local human rights group reported. The military had earlier said seven civilians were killed in the clash in the East Aceh town of Idi Cut. Villagers said that those killed were shot by security forces. The violence broke out during a rally to support the Free Aceh Movement, a rebel group.

Indonesia's parliament endorsed the military's policy of shooting rioters on sight, amid fresh bloodshed at both ends of the vast archipelago. At least 20 people died over the weekend in renewed Christian-Muslim violence in the eastern region once known as the Spice Islands and two more in the restive western province of Aceh, officials said. The parliament endorsed armed forces commander Gen. Wiranto's orders to his troops to shoot rioters or troublemakers on sight. Wiranto's deputy, Maj. Gen.

Indonesian soldiers opened fire Tuesday on a funeral procession of youths protesting Indonesia's rule over East Timor, and a U.S. journalist, severely beaten by the troops, said it appeared that dozens of people were killed. Portugal condemned what it called "this new act of extreme brutality" in the former Portuguese colony, where the Fretilin armed independence movement has been operating since the territory was annexed by Indonesia in 1976.